The present invention relates to a compact printer, and more particularly to a compact printer of a multi-pose type which can change in shape and in posture according to the purposes of use.
Where, in a printer, a space for accommodating recording sheets and a space for receiving recording sheets discharged from the printer are taken into consideration, and in addition where the convenience in space for the printer while not in use is also taken into consideration, the space occupied by the printer should be as small as possible. In this context, in view of the operating efficiency of the printer, it is preferable that a sheet accommodating space is provided in a lower room of the printer, and recording sheets supplied into the printer body from the sheet accommodating space are discharged from the rear end of an upper surface of the printer. Furthermore, it is desirable that the printer is so designed that its posture can be changed depending on the place where it is to be set; that the printer can be set not only flat but also upright.
However, the printer thus formed is disadvantageous in the following points: That is, when the printer is set flat, the recording sheets discharged upwardly from it may be scattered before and behind, and it is rather troublesome to rearrange them. On the other hand, in the case where the printer is set upright, the printer may fall down because of the weight of the recording sheets accommodated therein.
Those difficulties may be eliminated by additionally providing a discharged sheet receiving tray, and a supporting stand. However, the provisions of those additional components raises another problem. In transportation of the printer, those components may be rather troublesome to handle. In addition, when the printer is set flat, the supporting stand is not used, and when it is set upright, the tray is not used. Therefore, those components are liable to be lost.
Unexamined Japanese Patent Application (OPI) No. Hei. 3-101946 has disclosed a printer which can be set not only flat as shown in FIG. 7 but also upright as shown in FIG. 8. In the printer, a printer body 100 has no automatic sheet feeding tray. Therefore, in the case where the printer is set flat as shown in FIG. 7, a sheet supplying guide 102 is used to manually supply recording sheets S one at a time. In the case where the printer is set upright as shown in FIG. 8, an automatic sheet feeding device 200 must be coupled to the printer body 100. In addition, Unexamined Japanese Patent Application (OPI) No. Hei. 3-102028 has also disclosed a printer which can be set both flat and upright. However, its body has no automatic sheet feeding tray.